Czech planes to guard Baltic airspace during 2009

Three Czech fighter planes are set to patrol the airspace over Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia in 2009, after the Czech government approved the plan on Wednesday. It now needs the backing of both houses of the Czech parliament. Around 100 ground personnel would support the three Grippen planes. Czech Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova said the country's military budget would cover the three-month mission, expected to cost CZK half a billion (around USD 25 million). None of the three Baltic states has a modern air force of its own.